Coraline: The Neighbors
by heyphillyphilly
Summary: A sequel to the *Movie* Coraline. People constantly roaming about, trying to find a suitable place to stay, that's just the way of the world now, but Coraline finds herself in the same place that she's been in for three years. Although she has stayed put, those around her are still settling for a place that suites all their needs...no matter what, or who, they might be.
1. It Might Start Raining

'_Ashland is always quite beatiful during the summer. The skies are somewhat clear and blue compared to the rest of the year. And sometimes you can almost hear the sounds of birds singing their summery songs. But for the residents of Ashland their quiet sanctionaries they call home are sometimes invaded by mother nature with occasional thunderstorms and increasing winds. This week's weather forcast calls for light showers with few breaks in the storm. So if you don't like the rain, this might not be the week for you because…'_

And with that 15 year old Coraline turned off the morning news, walked outside, saw no evidence of any rain, and once again questions why she even watches the news, for she herself could predict it far better than any weather man could.

Over the past few years, Coraline had come to reasoning with herself that before school starts everyday, she should catch the news before she goes. Well, actually, she decided she would watch the news for 3 years ago, someone had filed a report on her for stealing a child out of a resident's house, and when she got to school the next day everyone, including Wybie, had suspicions about her antics the day before. Even when she asked why she was being avoided, no one told her, and after, they'd run away hoping they weren't her next victim. She tried to tell them the truth, but she understood how it's hard to believe in things you haven't seen yourself, so she kept it to herself that she was, in fact, babysitting an acquaintance's son. The door was locked and she had to get him out through the window to bring back to her house, but on the way there a passing bystander saw her take the child out of the house and assumed kidnapping. Even though everything is cleared up, she is still hesitant to be seen around town with children.

Coraline walked back inside the house to get something to eat before Wybie came over so they could walk to school. The blue haired girl picked up a bowl and a box of cereal. She set the two things down on the table next to her still ignorant mother typing away. She went back to the fridge to get the milk, but when her stare came over the door, there wasn't any.

"Mom! I thought you said you and dad went shopping?" Coraline said to her mother.

Mel barely looked up, and only because her daughter was practically breathing down her neck. Mel continued typing while mumbling as always…

" Sorry Coraline, we haven't had time yet."

"But you said that you would go! Theres no milk for cereal and no food for lunch… not that i'd want to eat it anyway..." (Coraline said the last part just loud enough so her mother could hear.)

"Well, Coraline," Mel said while she stopped typing completely ,"your father and I are busy. So if we have to work all day to sustain a living as our sacrafice, you need to make your sacrafices as well. I'm sure you won't die if you have to eat your cereal without milk, will you?"

"No, but I'm certain I will die if there's no food at all!" Coraline pointed out, with a sarcastic tone in her voice. "I'd almost trade one of Dad's disgusting death traps instead of death itself. Atleast I would die with a stomach full of food", she said while laying dramatically over her mother's computer with her tongue sticking out, expressing her feelings of death humorously.

"If you can even call that food", Coraline added.

"Listen," Mel said while dragging Coraline off the table,"we'll go shopping as soon as we finish working I promise."

Coraline knew that was a promise she wouldn't, and couldn't, keep.

"Fine. Then I'm going over to Wybie's to get something to eat. And don't expect me to pity you once you've died of starvation too!" the blue haired girl said while grabbing her bag and heading for the door.

"At least grab your coat before you go. I heard its going to start raining", Mel said while opening her computer once again and typing away.

With a sigh, Coraline closed the door to search for her jacket. She decided rather than look prefusely for it, why not jusk ask where it is. And with that thought she ended up in her father's study.

"Hey Dad. Have you seen my jacket?" Coraline asked. There was no response, for Charlie Jones was too, working.

"Dad?" She added.

"Uh-huh", her father mumbled and slightly turned his head and nodded toward the corner.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the girl said while following his line of sight and sure enough in the corner, was her jacket.

"Oh. Thanks Dad..." Coraline said as she walked out of the study and to the door.

It suprised Coraline that after all she did to save her parents, that they were the same, or even worse than before. They ignored her and life outside of staring at botany and the gardening catalogs they were pictured in. No matter how much she tried to jog their memory with the thoughts of the little door, the Beldam, or even that they were stuck in a snow globe, the adults told her she just had a vivid imagination. But Coraline knew it was real.

She hurriedly slipped on her jacket and opened the front door. And to her suprise Wybie was standing there with his fist raised in the air. It looked to Coraline like he was just about to knock.

Neither Coraline nor Wybie had changed much in the last few years of their lives. Coraline still has her favorite blue hair styled into a bob. She is somewhat taller than before, but she has gotten used to wearing three quarter length pants which make her look like she is wearing children's clothes.

But for Wybie, well his hunch is still there, so it makes him alot shorter than he really is. So in all actuallity he is around 5'7 instead of 5'11. His 'Curly Locks of Lusciousness' as he liked to call them, were cut when he ran into a street sign on his motorbike. He hit the sign and it cut into his head, and in order to perform surgery, the doctors had to cut his hair. But all in all, they were still the same slug hunting, adventuring, trouble seeking kids.

"H-hey C-coraline. Y-you kinda scared me there!" Wybie said, stuttering due to the initial shock.

"Sorry Why-were-you-born. Hey look. Before we head to school can we stop by your place to get something to eat?"

"Well I already ate Jonesy, but thanks for the offer!" the teen said sarcastically.

"I meant for me, jerk-wad!" Coraline retorted. "You know how my parents are..."

"That I do Coraline Jones. And that is why I brought you this..." he said while he slipped his hand into his bag and pulled out two candy bars. She attempted to take one, but he turned and started walking.

"Or I could just keep 'em to myself!" he stated. Coraline frowned and got down on her knees and groveled.

"Please almighty god of everything weird and nerdy! I ask of you one thing..." as she started the statement she was acting like a worshiper, then she got up and yelled in his ear playfully ,"GIVE ME THE CANDY BAR WYBOURNE!" She punched him in the arm like usual, and with a slight whimper he gave in.

Wybie handed over the snack and said "Fine. But you should really worship me more often."

Coraline took the candy from him and devoured it in a second. Once she was done they started walking. They usually talked about slugs, or made fun of teachers and things like that. But about halfway Wybie remembered something his grandmother told him.

"Oh yeah. Hey Coraline you know that new place they've finished building right past the old well?" he asked.

"Yeah. The tan one on Jacinto road. What about it?" Coraline replied.

"Well since it's closer than a mile from your place, it's on my grandma's property. So last week someone moved in. It's a mom and her daughter. The girl's name is Kaydence Sutherland. Her parents are divorced, so she's at that house for two weeks, then she is at her dad's place for one. Seems kinda unfair huh?"

"Yeah. I guess. Wybie how do you know all that?" Coraline wondered.

"Oh. Well since they came last week my grandma's been making me go take their mail to the mailbox outside their house. So one day Kaydence was outside and we just started talking. Her mom's name is Mary, but I don't wanna bombard you with my opinions, you're just gonna go and see for yourself sometime. Sorry I forgot to tell ya Jonesy..." Wybie said feeling a little bad that he hadn't told Coraline earlier.

"It's fine Why-were-you-born. Well after school we'll drop by and say hey, I guess, and scope out the new meat. We'll have to warn her to stay away from the well cuz of... the rotting wood, and things like that."

It was probably a good idea to warn someone about that stuff before something weird happens. And with that they were finally at school.

After a long hard day of things neither of the kids could care less about, they had their journey home. They mostly had talked about their principle's mustache and the way it moved when he was mad. They walked until they reached Jacinto Road. The two teens walked down the driveway and Wybie pointed out a large, quite modern place, laden with edgy bricks, and metal stairs, as well as window coverings, and only one small glass window, which seemed to be plastered in the attic. They perched themselves on the placemat outside of the door, and for a split second, there was only silence, and nothing else. Coraline knocked while thinking of things to say to her new neighbors. She heard the 'click' of the lock, and the doornob turned.

The door swung open, and a woman about five foot nine, with dirty blonde hair opened the door. She seemed around forty-five and she had a sweet smile plastered on her face.

"Why hello there," the woman said seeming a little suprised by the two teens standing on her doorstep, "I'm Mary Sutherland. And you are?"


	2. And You Are?

For some reason, words just swam around in Coraline's head, just as fish would do in a pond. She stood and stared at Mrs. Sutherland...blank...which put all of the witty things she had thought of at bay. The woman, not in the slightest caught off guard, just stared back, and it looked as if she might have even enjoyed just looking into the eyes of someone other than her reflection. As for Wybie, he just had to butt-in, seeing as his closest friend, and some lady were in a trance just staring at each other.

"Ummm...Hi there, Mrs. Sutherland...I'm Wybie. Wybie Lovat, to be exact. This is my best friend, Coraline", and with that Coraline just snapped out of her glare, and having no clue with what just happened, an all too noticeable red hue came over cheeks, and she seemed to clam up. With Wybie having spoken up, Mary just smiled at the girl again, and politely turned her attention to Wybie.

"Coraline lives down the hill from your place in The Pink Palace, which my grandma owns. She just so happens to own the land your place is on too, so we thought we'd come over and just give you the down low of all the things that go on around here."

Mary's gaze shifted from Wybie, back to Coraline, and seemed somewhat put off by her inability to speak up for herself.

"Well," Mary put blankly, "you two don't look like the type I usually hang around with, seeing as neither of you look much older than fifteen" and she gestured them inside, while continuing on.

"So, I suppose you have met my Kaydence, then, haven't you?"

She turned to both of them looking for an answer, but kept her eyes on the girl with blue hair.

Coraline, still, hadn't realized what had happened to herself. She heard all the words coming from both of her cohorts mouths, knew how to answer, but couldn't seem to get any words out. The only explanation she could come to was that she was temporarily brain dead.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Sutherland, could you give us a moment, please. We'd b-be glad to talk, both of us, I-I mean, but I think Coraline just needs to get some m-more fresh air. You know how they keep us all c-c-cooped up inside all day" as Wybie had to come up with some quick gab, he began stuttering out of anxiety for his near paralyzed friend, and this woman welcoming them into her home. He knew Grandma would get him later for all this nonsense.

"Why don't you have her come in and lay down?"

While she was talking, he was slowly nudging Coraline off the doorstep.

"Ummm," he had no clue what to say, whether he should take her inside, or try to figure out what is wrong with her himself, "I really just think its a matter of space, Mrs. Sutherland. I'll just walk her around a bit more, and we will be right back. I promise" as he just lied through his teeth.

"Okay, then. But don't wander off...Wybie, was it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Alright. Just let yourselves in. I'm sure Kaydence would love to catch up with you, and I would most especially like to have a word with your Coraline, if that's ok."

"...alright. We'll be back" as he almost pushed Coraline down the street, and around the corner to the pathway to the old well.

Just as they passed the old wood benches, Coraline jumped back into reality, and had a million thoughts all race through her mind at once. She pushed herself away from Wybie, and as she got her own free will back, she did one of the only things she could do at that moment...

*PUNCH*

She lobbed him straight in the bicep, where his bruises never healed, and Wybie let out a yelp, so loud, it made the dew jump off of every nearby leaf.

"WHAT THE HECK WYBIE?!"

"WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUSLY MAD AT ME?!"

"Of course! You told a complete stranger where I live! That's so messed up!" she said as to neglect the fact that her brain just went to space and got lost somewhere on the ride back.

"Come on, Jonesy! You left me stranded on her porch, making small talk, while you were making google eyes and basically drooling. What is wrong with you?!"

Wybie was seriously concerned for her. He had never, in their past few years, ever seen her act that way around strangers. She was always the personality, and he was the guy in the background, so something had to be up.

Coraline didn't know what to say. She would love to give him an answer, but she would need to have one first. It's not something she had ever experienced before. It was like someone had their hands inside her head and had messed up all the wiring going down to her body. It was...bizarre...and that was the only thing she knew.

"I'm sorry, Wybie. I seriously don't know what happened back there. But don't worry about me, kay, I think I'm just tired or something" but she knew it had to have been something more.

"Yeah. Sure. Let's just chock it up to the barometric pressure or something and get you home."

That seemed like the smartest idea to both of them, but something in Coraline urged her to go back.

"As much as I would love to go back to an empty house Wybie, I think I should go apologize to her. And maybe while I do that, you could go catch up with Kaydence, huh?"

"I don't know Coraline...I think we should just bolt..."

After his final attempt to persuade her home, she nudged him along, back to Jacinto road, where they had just been, not moments ago.

As they were approaching the house, yet again, Wybie glanced up, if not just to look at the sky, but his eyes fell upon the attic window. As they drew closer, he could faintly make out a face, peering out, and if that weren't enough to stop him in his tracks, he didn't know what would.

Coraline saw him pause, and followed his gaze, and too, saw a pair of eyes and a smile in the window. She was about to turn around and take Wybie with her, but just as she reached out, a hand began to wave, and then disappeared.

"Oh thank goodness!" Wybie gasped in relief, as the face must have been Kaydence's.

"Hah! You were so scared, Why-Were-You-Born!"

"So were you!" he said grabbing her by the arm one last time before reaching the door.

"I thought it was a ghost" Coraline said with complete certainty.

"I know you did by the way you were ready to take off, hah!"

"All in good fun, Curly Fry!" Coraline joked as they pushed open the door.

The two kids couldn't believe their eyes. Obviously they knew what big houses looked like, they both lived in one, but they had never been in one as nice as this. Both Coraline and Wybies' homes were large yes, but due to out dated furniture, wallpaper, fixtures, neighbors, etc. they never really saw their homes for what they were.

The inside of the maternal half of the Sutherland home, was grand yet refined, and was very up-to-date, along with it's inhabitants.

The walls were all white in the foyer, and a a modern take on a vintage chandelier hung above them, nearly ten feet above their two heads. A large stair case towered straight in front of them, and in the middle there was a small landing, and then the stairs split to either side, leading up to the second floor, where the joined again, on another landing in front of some adjacent rooms.

To the left of the teens was a large kitchen, with all of the things you could ever want, food and appliance wise, and was probably about as big as Coraline's drawing room. To the right, a large living room, which was still somewhat bare from the two ladies moving in. It had a large white couch standing up right, two small hand tables and one large coffee table, along with some rolled up rugs. Of course, though, the fireplace had been installed and boy, was it amazing. It had black marble inlay along the side in a decorative fashion, and a large slab of glass covered the actual flame, so no one would get burnt accidentally the two thought.

"Gee, Wybie! This place is huge!"

"I-I know. Its massive! I'm just taking a guess here Jonesy, but I think these two must have won in divorce court, cuz it looks like they're rich!"

And it had seemed like the mother and daughter were quite wealthy, for everything in the house seemed to be lavish and expensive.

As Coraline and Wybie finished gawking at the interior of the Sutherland home, a faint clanking noise was coming from the kitchen. It caught the attention of the two and stopped their irrepressible gaze. More clanking ensued, so they took it upon themselves to see what it was.

They waltzed into the vast kitchen, only to find Mary undoing a box of china plates and placing them into her many cupboards. She kept on with her busy work for another few moments before she noticed that there was someone else there.

"Kay can you help m..." then she noticed it wasn't her daughter, but the two teens, who had wandered back into her home.

"Hi, Mrs. Sutherland...I'm Coraline Jones", were the first words Coraline had spoken to the woman.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened before. You probably think I'm demented or something, but I think I was just tired. Wybie's suggestion of getting some air really helped me out, and I wanted to thank you for offering us to come inside."

With that, Mary put down her plates, and walked closer to the two, and sat down in one of the many barstools across the island.

"No! Not at all! It's I, who should be thanking you two. You have made my day that much more interesting" and she gestured for the two to come sit down.

The two looked at each other, and shrugged, then walked to the opposite side of Mrs. Sutherland and plopped themselves down.

All the while, there were heavy footsteps coming down the stairs, and before they knew it, a fourth person had entered the kitchen.

"Hey mo-" she was cut off by the surprise of having visitors.

Kaydence Sutherland, looked, and sounded, just like a smaller version of her mother. The only difference was their age and clothes, but besides that, they were almost identical.

Coraline and Wybie turned around, and of course Wybie knew who it was and got up out of his chair and went over to say hi. Coraline on the other hand, was still a stranger to both of them, and stayed put where she was. When Wybie got up, he waddled over to Kaydence and the two of them started a quiet conversation, excluding both Mary and Coraline.

Coraline turned back around in her chair and was going to say something to Mrs. Sutherland about the well and be on her merry way, but when she looked over, Mrs. Sutherland was staring at her again. Coraline thought it was weird how Mary couldn't seem to take her eyes off herself, and thought it best to just ignore it, seeing as all people act a little different.

"So, Coraline," Mary started engaging Coraline with a voice as clean as glass ," are you sure your okay. I've seen quite a few things in my time, but it looked like you were quite confused, and that sure isn't normal."

Coraline agreed, but didn't quite know how to respond, but she decided to repeat what she said from earlier and just add something on top of it, which is logical for some people.

"Yeah. I think I'm fine. I do believe I was just overly tired," and she would've stopped just there, but the look on Mary's face read to Coraline as she didn't believe her, so she kept going," and I'm not to good with strangers...never was."

"Now Coraline...why on earth would you be afraid of me?"

She asked that question as if it were almost rhetorical, and in such a way it was almost creepy.

Coraline didn't know how to respond to that, and she couldn't look her in the eyes, so her pupils kept flashing around, anywhere but directly at Mrs. Sutherland.

Luckily, she didn't get the chance to respond, since Kaydence and Wybie rushed over and the girl clearly was itching to interrupt.

"Mom! Can I take Wybie upstairs for a hot second to show him my room, we won't be long, I promise!"

Mary's glare switched over to her daughter and in what seemed to be like disgust, she gave her daughter the okay, and the two ran upstairs, as fast as they could, and as Coraline looked over, she saw Wybie trip on a stair, he looked over and waved, then kept on running. *Slam* A door shut, and Coraline was alone with Mrs. Sutherland.

It was too quiet.

Coraline knew if she didn't break the silence, this woman would continue to stay quiet, for her own reasons.

"So...what did you mean, you've seen a few things in your time?"

Mary looked happy at that question as an opportunity to give the girl a bit of background.

"I was a nurse for almost ten years, Coraline. And I worked in the emergency room, so I've seen most things that would frighten a person. But like I said, I've never seen anything quite the same, as what happened to you earlier."

Coraline blushed once again, feeling quite awkward about the whole thing. But as she was going to reply, Mary reached out and grabbed Coraline's hand, which caught Coraline completely off guard, and it made her feel even more awkward.

"Don't feel bad, Coraline. We can only control so much of ourselves, the rest is up to fate..." She then squeezed the teens hand, and shot out a suggestion.

"Ok. So, I don't feel comfortable letting you leave, without knowing that this isn't going to happen before you get back home, so why don't you let me have a look at you? Hmm?"

Coraline thought the woman was joking, but Mrs. Sutherland looked quite intent on looking at her.

"I really think I'll be okay Mrs. Sutherland, really! I should get home though, you know, with homework and stuff to do..."

"Nonsense! It'll take five minutes, and then if wish to go, you can, but I feel adamant on making sure you're alright. Alright?" she giggled with a sense that she had made a joke.

Coraline had no time to refuse, as the woman tugged on the hand she was holding her by, and she led Coraline straight toward the other side of the kitchen. Mary pulled out what seemed to be an ophthalmoscope, from a drawer, and patted the counter next to her, which Coraline guessed was for her to jump up on.

And she did, but once she was sitting on the counter, she felt her heartbeat quicken, and it felt to her as if someone had turned the thermostat up almost twenty degrees, and like the walls were closing in around her. She protested one more time, trying to be as polite as she could.

"Really, Mrs. Sutherland! I'm fine, there's no need to waste your time," Coraline tried to make her words sound comical, while hiding her true intentions," but I really should get Wybie and go h..."

"Shhhh..." Mary shushed the girl, smiled, and put her finger on Coraline's lips gently, as to politely tell her to shut up.

"Its no waste, if I'm preventing a problem, now is it? And obviously my daughter and Wybie are friends, and you wouldn't want to cut their time together short, now would you?"

Coraline was panicking, and once again she found that she could not move, but still was able to hear all the words coming from the woman's mouth. She wasn't scared but felt as if something was really off about this whole thing.

"Now, just look straight into my eye, while I shine this into yours. It doesn't hurt...its nothing to be worried about...its just a light...I'll be able to see if there's anything going on...so just relax..."

Coraline was getting extremely dizzy, to the point where she felt as if her was going to explode. There was no way she could relax, but her body wasn't going to let her do anything about that. She found herself staring into Mary's eye, just as the woman had asked, and she felt as if she were going to explode at any moment now. Mary drew herself closer, and as she did, Coraline's mind went into overdrive, and she started to see all sorts of crazy things. She noticed dancing mice in the background, all the white cabinets disappeared, the floor seemed to have vanished, the counter she was on looked as if it were fifty feet high, and as she found herself looking at Mary...a dark pair of buttons, looked to have plastered themselves onto her eyes...

"Now...just hold still..."

*Black*

•Hey guys! So, I wrote the first chapter of this fic almost two years ago after realizing that they probably weren't going to do a sequel of the original. So, this is just one of the ideas I have for what it would possibly be like.

If anyone has some story ideas, or critiques, or anything, go ahead and message me or write a review or something. I'm pretty open to anything.

Ch. 3 Coming Some Time in the Next Week

Thanks For Reading! •


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